


For the Fate of the Kingdom

by ollie_oxen_free



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, M/M, a loveless marriage, a very in depth analysis of medieval times and customs and whatnot, betrothal, different names for everyone, eh boys?, if only i had this kind of dedication in my classes, just like my parents, like seriously a shit ton of research went into this, marraige
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-12
Updated: 2017-05-24
Packaged: 2018-10-30 20:13:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 19,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10884117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ollie_oxen_free/pseuds/ollie_oxen_free
Summary: They had always known that this little song and dance would never work out. That they would never,couldnever be together, truly.They knew this.





	1. The Sacrifices of Our Rulers

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CrushingOnSans](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrushingOnSans/gifts).
  * Inspired by [A Night Off and a Dress](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10092563) by [CrushingOnSans](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrushingOnSans/pseuds/CrushingOnSans). 



> holy. fucking. shit. this gotdamn monstrosity is only HALF finished, but thats besides the point.
> 
> so, literally crushingonsans is one of the best writers u guys will ever find out there and this story was entirely inspired by her (a.n. if u dont kno who that is then gtfo) ((but seriously, i know the links to the story and her ao3 are on here so give them a click because its literally better than anything youre gonna find here lmfao))
> 
> but i digress. i got permission from crush to continue this story and kinda write my own sorta sequel of it! i use the term "my own" loosely because ive pretty much gone by what she said that the plot was! i did a shit ton of research for this to make it as accurate and well-written as possible! definitely a lot more research than i do for my other fics smh
> 
> but thats besides the point
> 
> anyways, im gonna shut the fuck up now so! read on! (all aboard the gay train to shitsville toot toot)
> 
> The characters are referred to by different names throughout the entirety of the fic, so this is a reference chart that's based off the names that crush used as well as me adding some of my own for the un-renamed characters:  
> Fell- Jade  
> Red- Carmine  
> Lust- Lavender (Lav)  
> Sans- Cerulean (Cer)  
> Pink- Rouge  
> Blue- Periwinkle (Peri)  
> Razz- Byzantium  
> Stretch- Saffron  
> Papyrus- Annatto  
> Gerson- still Gerson lmfao  
> UF Undyne- Gytha  
> Slim- Hearst  
> Sci- Thistle  
> UF Gaster- Garrick

Once, while he was on one of his excursions from the castle, he had come across a large celebration that some of the townsfolk were having. He hadn’t known what it was when he had first stumbled upon it. He’d simply been following the sound of music and laughter- and as he drew nearer, the smell of food and the stomping of feet in a complex pattern- trying to get as close to the scene as possible. He’d had to hold the hood of his cloak down, making sure that his gloves concealed his skeletal hands as he weaved through the crowd.

 

He’d moved his way to the outer ring of a circle on the outskirts of town to see a gathering of people dancing in the center of the ring. The sound of lutes and the banging of drums set the tempo and the beat for the dance, a fast-paced, energetic thing. Lav soon found himself laughing along with the crowd, clapping his hands and stomping his feet with the heavy beat of the drum. The thrill of being close to such a scene left an impression on him, and he found himself truly enjoying the energetic dancing; it was much better than the slow waltzes and ballroom dances that he’d had to learn in some of his classes.

 

Yet, it had soon become clear to him that this was no ordinary festival. Whipping about within the churning bodies were two figures- a cat and a rabbit monster- both dressed in expensive (or at least, expensive for peasants) garments. They would meet, sometimes, in the dance, their hands joining for mere seconds with pure expressions of joy upon their faces, before they were pulled away by the others of the group. Lav watched as the meetings of their hands became more frequent, lasting longer each time, and feeling the anticipation of the crowd rise up like a wave before it settled back down as they moved away.

 

He found his own tension at the scene growing as the drum beats got faster and faster, wanting, hoping, wishing the two of them would meet and  _ stay _ and continue this energetic dance of theirs that was entirely separate from the other twirling and stomping happening around them. Then finally, when he felt that the tensions could rise no higher, the lutist used their instrument to make a loud trill and the drum beats became a quick staccato, the entirety of the crowd holding their breath as the two dancers dashed up to each other, latching on and laughing, lifting and twirling each other in the air. The crowd cheered, the other dancers in the circle continuing their stomping dance around the couple, grabbing bags off of the ground and twisting and turning in a mass around the two. The dancers began to throw up handfuls of wheat into the air above the two dancers, and the crowd’s cheers reached a crescendo. Lav shifted about, trying to get a view of the pair that was blocked off before he caught a glimpse of them between the dancers, flashes of the two holding each other closely and breathing hard coming into view. Lav watched as they pressed their foreheads together, seeing them stand utterly content in the moment, and with a start, he realized what this was.

 

It was a wedding celebration.

 

At the time, he’d felt a brief pang of longing. Then again, after seeing the pure adoration in the eyes of the pair, who wouldn’t want something like that for themselves? He wanted the fast breaths, the joyous laughter, the loving, fun way of celebrating, this nearly primal, yet organized, dance that had no real rules or regulations, had no one chiding at the raucous nature of the festivities, no one scolding as the sweat ran in rivulets down the sides of their faces and the breaths came panted and heavy through open mouths ( _ “It simply isn’t princess-like!” _ ), just love and hope and the basis for a new life. Yes, he’d wanted that for himself.

 

There was no celebration of their union. There was no music, no dancing, no joviality in any way. There was no heartfelt congratulations, no mess to clean up after, and no laughter. There was only tight smiles and hollow phrases, the exchanges between kingdoms being worked out with a palpable tension permeating the room. The closest thing to a celebration that was had was the visible relaxation and audible sigh of relief from everyone in the room when Prince Jade marked the paper with a flourish of his signature and the hot press of wax. And, honestly, for that, Lavender was grateful. 

 

It was over quickly, and he’d watched the frantic movements of the servants of the castle as they tried to get everything that was needed for Lav to leave as quickly as possible, as if had they dragged their feet for too long keeping the Prince- soon to be King- waiting, the betrothal would immediately be cut off, any ties to the Fell kingdom being shattered, along with the hopes of the continued safety of their kingdom. Though, more likely it was the fear that waiting too long would cause the Princess to run away from the marriage, from his destiny. The thought was almost enough to make him scoff out a laugh (he could almost already hear it, an ugly bark of a noise, cut short by the clenching of his throat). He hadn’t entertained the thought for even a second. This was his purpose in life.

 

This is what he had always been meant to do. It was expected of him. It was needed of him.

 

He hadn’t put up a fight, hadn’t argued with any dignitaries- not even the water sprite who continuously threw him disgusted glances- he had just. Complied. He stood straight, nodded and smiled pleasantly in all the right places where he was meant to, standing silently and submissively to the left of his father as the final arrangements were made, watching out of the corner of his eye as the carriage that was going to shuttle him away was loaded with a few of his personal items. He looked up as his name was mentioned, but quickly averted his gaze once more when he discovered that the conversation wasn’t meant to include him.

 

When he had glanced up, he had seen many of his teachers and instructors looking at him incredulously, his behavior a far cry from his normal role. In any other situation, he would have found the shocked, fish-like gapes funny.

 

Now they only served to remind him of the new role, the new charade he would have to act out and play every day for the rest of his life. The Queen of the Fell kingdom. The title caused his throat to clench and he steeled his jaw. He wouldn’t cry anymore.

 

A servant rushed up, bowing hurriedly and stating that the carriage was now ready. Prince Jade dismissed them with a sharp nod and they scurried off. His sharp gaze glanced over Lav with a disgusted look before he quickly moved away, stalking over to the carriage and conversing in low tones with the sprite. Lav let out a shaky breath. Now was his chance to say goodbye. He walked towards the large group of servants who were gathered at the entrance to the castle, the group bowing almost all at once. He nodded at them, looking over the crowd. He saw the teary smile of Periwinkle, the neutral expression of Byzantium, and the pained grin of Carmine.

 

…

 

Cerulean was nowhere to be seen. Lav wasn’t sure whether he was grateful or not that the other had decided not to show.

 

He turned, walking to his father and brother before stopping in front of them. He curtsied- like he had always been taught to, gently lifting the sides of his dress as his right leg crossed over the left, bending at the knee and nodding his head slightly- before standing straight again. Rouge frowned, an upset look tightening the area around his eyes, before he stepped forwards, reaching down and encasing Lav in a hug. He returned it, letting out a shaky breath before giving his best smile. It wouldn’t do to be sad.

 

Rouge pulled away, holding him at arm’s length, the glisten of unshed tears hovering at the corners of his sockets. “I know that we’ll still be able to see each other, occasionally, but… I still plan on writing to you!” He grinned after that, blinking quickly to keep the tears from falling.

 

Lav gave the closest thing to a genuine smile that he’d made all day. “You fucking better.”

 

His brother laughed, pulling him in close for another tight hug before releasing him and stepping back, using the palms of his hands to wipe at the unshed tears as he returned to their father’s side. He looked once again over the gathering of servants and his family before walking to the carriage, giving a quiet thanks as the Prince held the door of it open for him. He sat down in the stuffy compartment, looking over the polished interior and the expensive rugs and ornate designs spread about and carved into the walls. The heat seemed to multiply due to his many skirts. He’d have to open a window later.

 

A small creak filled the deafening silence, and Lav looked to see the Prince beginning to climb into the carriage. Their eyes met and he immediately stiffened, the cold fury once again flooding his sockets before he stepped back down onto the ground. The sprite made a noise of confusion. “It’s not appropriate for me to be alone in the carriage with the current Princess. I’ll ride above. I need the fresh air anyways.”

 

Lav couldn’t see the sprite due to her position in regards the the carriage, but he could almost imagine the scowl on her face as she hissed her opinion. “Prince Jade, it is unsafe for you to stay out in the open like this, and as your personal guard-”

 

The Prince growled, interrupting her. “Gytha!”

 

Lav heard the sharp click of her mouth snapping shut, her teeth closing together. The Prince sighed, a weariness seeping into his voice. He leaned towards the sprite- Gytha, Lav supposed- and spoke to her in a hushed tone. She gave a small sigh. “Of course, my Prince.”

 

The Prince relaxed, the stiff hold of his shoulders lowering as he nodded in thanks, giving Lav a quick glance before he gently shut the carriage door, cutting off almost all light into the humid interior. A few more rocks of the carriage came with the others climbing onto the outside before the sharp crack of a whip was heard with a shout, and the horse that was hooked to the front began to move. Lav sat straight up with his hands folded in his lap, staring that the floor that ended just a few inches from his feet. He was silent as he listened to the sharp clops of the hooves as they travelled across the cobblestone that paved the castle, the low bustle of the town as they traveled through the busy marketplace, and then, finally, the lone creaking of the wheels of the carriage as they travelled the path through the forest.

 

They had exited the Kingdom of Lust.

 

Only then did he crack open the window of the carriage.

 

\---

 

They arrived at the Fell Kingdom a few hours after the fall of dusk. Lav stood, walking to the door of the carriage as it was opened, taking the Prince’s hand as he helped him down. As soon as both of his feet were on the ground, the proffered hand was removed, Jade crossing both his arms and watching as servants scurried fowards, removing the luggage from the trip and beginning to rush it inside. Lav’s own chest was set on the ground by the carriage before the driver climbed back onto the seat up front, giving a sharp whistle to get the horse in motion.

 

Jade looked down at the chest, then up to Lav, quickly glancing away and signaling a servant, a skeleton similar to himself. The serf walked over, bowing deeply before Jade and Lavender, averting his gaze to the ground and clasping both hands behind his back. Jade motioned to the chest, or maybe Lav himself, and ordered the servant to show Lav to his quarters. The servant bowed again before walking to the chest and lifting it with a slight grunt. He turned his cracked sockets to Lav, and closed his eyes, bowing as best he could with the wooden case in hand. “If you will follow me, your highness.”

 

Lav nodded, lifting the front of his skirts slightly so they wouldn’t drag along the ground, following him as he led him into the castle. Lavender found his gaze wandering as he examined the architecture, eyes moving from the large, stained glass windows that threw colors of light along the floor to the intricate tapestries that lined the walls, each depicting a scene of great historical value within the Fell bloodline. Lav slowed to a stop as he reached one of the largest tapestries that hung from the wall, the entire woven cloth reaching from the floor all the way up to the vaulted ceilings, the width of the cloth spanning the entire space between two of the windows. He moved his eyes around the tapestry, taking in the violent depiction.

 

It was a mural of the King of Fell. He was standing, proud, in the center of the mural, his signature sword in hand, covered in blood that had coagulated with dust. In the background, a war could still be seen happening, the bloody, frenzic scene a stark contrast with the utter calm on the King’s face. Lav looked at the eyes of the mural, then quickly looked away. The cold calculation in the look, even within a mural, was enough to send a sharp chill down his spine. Rumors had been spread throughout the entire series of kingdoms that, when he was younger, the now-King Garrik had poisoned both his father and mother in order to take the throne. Lav had never really paid them any mind- after all, he himself knew the power of a rumor, and the lack of truth behind many- but…

 

Some rumors did turn out to be true.

 

He heard a timid voice from the end of the arcing hall, and looked to his right to see the servant carrying his chest looking at him. “Your highness?”

 

Lav apologized, sparing one last glance at the tapestry before hurriedly walking away, feeling the cold stare of the depiction on him the entire way. He caught up with the servant, who once again bowed before he continued walking. Lav smoothed down the front of his skirts before he looked up at the taller. “I’m sorry, but I’m afraid that I never got your name?”

 

The servant stiffened, looking around the room quickly before moving over to Lav. “Are you addressing me, your highness?”

 

Lav pushed down his frustration at the title, letting the other continue calling him it. It was best that he didn’t get too casual, and behaved like the staple queen he had been groomed to be. Though they were betrothed, the union had yet to be formally announced, and there was still a chance of the marriage being cut off. “I am.”

 

The servant seemed to think over this for a moment before lowering his gaze once more, shifting the chest in his hands to get a better grip. “My name is Hearst, your highness.”

 

Hearst stopped in front of a large oak door, intricate designs carved into the wood and emphasized with a dark stain. Lav walked up to the door, going to open it. He ignored Hearst’s protests at the motion, pushing open the door and holding it out as the other walked in, setting down the chest in front of the large bed with a sigh. Lav let go of the door, allowing it to shut on its own before turning to the servant. “Thank you for carrying my things.”

 

Hearst nodded, bowing deeply and speaking while still in the bend. “If your highness requires anything, then you may summon me at anytime with the call-bell beside the door.”

 

Lav looked to the delicate chain that was hanging beside the door, the links of metal leading to the servants’ quarters to a series of bells on the wall. If he pulled the chain, the bell that was connected to his room would ring, waking up the servants and calling them up to his room. He had never bothered to use the one back home, preferring to instead go to the quarters themselves and ask for whatever was needed. He preferred the personal, face-to-face conversation that was so often shrouded by his status.

 

It was clear that that wouldn’t work here.

 

“Thank you, Hearst. You’re dismissed.” The servant bowed once more, the gentle click of the door as he exited echoing throughout the small room. It was sparsely decorated, a chair sitting in the corner by the unlit fireplace being the only furniture in the room besides an empty shelf and the bed. Lav walked over to the bed, feeling the smooth, silken sheets glide cooly over his hand, sighing softly as he sat on the top, pressing the palms of his hands over his eyes.

 

This was for the best. There would be no more tears.

 

\---

 

He had been summoned to have dinner with the King and his son. The announcement had come as a surprise, a series of knocks at the door alerting him to the presence of the servant before she opened the door, the maiden tittering the news off quickly before she gave a curt bow, scurrying off down the hallway. Until now, he had eaten most meals within his room, the trays being brought straight to him from the kitchen and back by Hearst. He had grown bored after a while but didn’t dare complain. He was fine, and it simply gave him time to look around the castle grounds and become accustomed to what would inevitably be his home for the rest of his life. (Though, he could never really go anywhere without an escort, and he didn’t complain about that matter either.)

 

The summons had two or three servants flitting about his room, helping him to dress and prepare himself for supper with the king. When they deemed him ready, he had been escorted from his room to the dining hall by none other than Gytha herself. She was dressed in full armor, polished to a shine, and looked over him with a critical eye before nodding, giving the servants a sharp look and causing them to run off.

 

As he walked to the dining hall, Lav looked over his shoulder at Gytha, who was glaring at his back. When she met his gaze she held it for a barest moment before she glanced away, tightening her jaw. Lav slowed his walk slightly before he looked at her once again. “I apologize for any offense that my presence here has caused you.”

 

She seemed shocked for a moment, if the slight widening of her one usable eye was anything to go by, before her lips pursed a bit in thought. She didn’t respond to his apology, and he didn’t expect her to, though he did feel that some of her anger at the situation drifted off of himself and onto a different matter.

 

They walked the rest of the way in silence.

 

When he entered the hall, many pairs of eyes looked him over, all but two of them quickly glancing away. He ignored the stares, walking forward and watching a servant pull out a chair for him, sitting down and being pushed up to the table. He had his hands folded in his lap and kept his eyes on the table, counting the lines of grains in the wood.

 

Since he had been brought to the Fell kingdom, he had been subject to many cold stares and angry sneers. However, none of them matched the pure malice behind the stare of the King as he looked him over, seeming disgusted by the sight before him. The gaze moved off of him and over to his son, both their eyes meeting in challenge before the younger looked away, exhaling a breath that shook with rage.

 

The meals were brought out and Lav had to resist the urge to immediately grab what he wanted. He had to wait for the King and Prince to plate their food before he could receive his own. Dinner went by quietly, the occasional scratch of a knife against a plate or shuffle of one of the servants who lined the walls in case any assistance was needed being the only noises. King Garrick set down his utensils, wiping his mouth with a cloth before reaching and taking a drink from the large chalice of wine in front of his plate. “I suppose you’re both wondering why I’ve summoned you here.”

 

Another slow drink of wine. Lav noticed the way that Jade tensed as the King spoke, the hand that was holding the knife shaking from the strength of the grip. “Consider it a… pre-celebration of sort. For the union of our two Kingdoms.” He held out the golden cup, a servant quickly moving forward to fill it up before moving back to their place against the wall. There was no joy in his voice as he spoke it, and only the barest grimace of a smile, as if the expression was unknown to him. “And it is a token worth celebrating, is it not?” He didn’t wait for an affirmative. “That’s why I’ve decided to throw a grand ball.” The gaze shifted to Lav before moving slowly across the table to the Prince. “A baroque celebration for the soon to be King and Queen of Fell.”

 

A loud thud was heard and Lav jumped in his seat, looking up to see that Jade had slammed the knife in his hand into the table, the handle sticking straight out of the wood. He was breathing heavily, shoulders shaking with barely contained rage before he stood swiftly, the chair he was sitting in skidding back a few feet before it toppled over as he stormed from the hall. Everyone was shocked by the action.

 

Aside from the current King, that is, who watched with an utmost calm. He went to take another drink of wine before a racking cough rattled his body. He brought one of the cloth napkins up to his mouth, covering it as his body attempted to rid his non-existent lungs of filth. King Garrick pulled the cloth away once the coughing fit was over. Lav could have sworn that he’d seen the barest hint of red flecks dotting the cough. The cold gaze turned to him once more. “You are dismissed.”

 

Lav curtsied after he stood, doing his best to exit the hall as quickly as possible without running.

 

Thick, hair raising hacking followed him out of the room.

 

\---

 

The ball was a miserable experience. Countless dignitaries from different kingdoms had congratulated him and Jade on their union. Throughout it all, he had kept a smile on his face, nodding and thanking them for their gifts and words before waving them off, watching as they drifted into the sea of gently twirling bodies. It was reminiscent of the scene he had witnessed within his own castle boundaries, though here there was no actual joy nor raucous laughter, only phrases that didn’t quite carry the true meaning of the words and the tight-lipped smiles of politicians.

 

Jade seemed just as discontent with the ball, and Lav wasn’t sure whether or not he was grateful for the fact. He imagined that it would have been more bearable if he didn’t have to deal with the other’s cold glare on the back of his neck at all times. Even greeting his own father and brother wasn’t enough to really shake off the unease that he felt. Although, he supposed he found solace in the fact that no one seemed to truly enjoy this party.

 

Halfway through the ball, the king was staring sharply at Jade. Lav felt more than saw the tension in the other as he turned to look at himself. “Would you like to dance?” The words were spoken in a clipped tone. Lavender nodded an affirmative. He really had no right to refuse.

 

They stepped out onto the floor, the other dancing couples quickly moving out of the way of them as they lined up, Lav placing his hands where he had always learned to in his lessons, and began to dance. There was no real effort on either of their parts to make any conversation or draw out the situation longer than necessary. Lav fixed his gaze on the other’s shoulder, with Jade staring off somewhere slightly above his head, the anger still present with every step,

 

Until it wasn’t. Lav noticed a slight shift in the other’s dance, throwing their steps out of sync for a moment before he caught up. Barely noticeable, but up their close it was painfully obvious, was a sadness in the other’s eyes. Any trace of anger was gone, replaced fully by an utterly weary, a completely pained expression that Lav knew all too well.

 

It was one that he saw on himself in the mirror more often than not.

 

Lav knew he wouldn’t ask the other what was wrong,  _ couldn’t _ ask the other what was wrong, so instead, when the gaze met his own for a moment, he tried to convey a sense of comfort and understanding in his expression. Jade quickly looked away from his gaze, but for the barest moment, Lav had seen a flicker of something that he had yet to ever see in the other’s stare.

 

Gratitude.

 

\---

 

_ Dear Lavender, _

 

_ I hope you’re doing well! I know it hasn’t been that long since the ball when I saw you, but I just wanted you to know that myself and the rest of the staff miss seeing you very much! Carmine and Periwinkle send their best regards, and Byzantium rolled his eyes, but I’ve caught him saying that he does miss you one time when he thought I wasn’t listening. (I even caught your history instructor looking slightly down at the time that you usually had- or at least, skipped- lessons with him.) How are things in the Fell kingdom? I hope everything is well. I really do miss you. _

 

_ Write back soon! _

 

_ Love, _

_ Rouge _

  
  
  


_ Hey Rouge, _

 

_ Hey, bro. Things are going as well as can be expected here. Prince Jade isn’t as icy as he used to be. I think he might be warming up to me. Anyways, tell Car and Peri that I miss them as well, and tell Byzantium that he can go fuck himself (but that I miss him too). How are things going back home now that the deal between kingdoms has been worked out? Are the subjects happy? Did they find my secret stash of candies in that hidden compartment in the back of my wardrobe? _

 

_ How’s Cerulean? Is he doing well? You didn’t mention him, and I was just wondering. _

 

_ Love, _

_ Lavender _

  
  


_ Dear Lav, _

 

_ If that was a poorly made pun at the beginning of the letter that you sent me, then I am sorely disappointed. I delivered your message of good regards to Carmine, Byzantium, and Peri, but I left out the rude comment you made. Entirely inappropriate. The kingdom is flourishing more than it has in ages, actually! The increased land that we received as dowry is some of the most fertile soil in the area, and the crops that have been planted there are growing nearly three times as well as the crops in other areas! _

 

_ As for the candies, well… We’re just going to leave the fact that the chef was less than pleased to find that the reason his chocolates and such were disappearing were because you had taken them and hid them. I wasn’t too happy about the situation either now that I know the reason why we were having less of chocolatey desserts (which, might I add, are my favorite) is entirely because of you. _

 

_ About Cerulean… I would honestly rather deliver this information face-to-face, considering how close of friends you two were, but the distance necessitates this as the only available option. Cerulean ran away from the castle. Father put out flyers searching for him, but we haven’t heard any news from anyone. I’m sorry that this happened, but I assure you that if he is found then I’ll do my best to make sure that no harm or punishment comes to him. _

 

_ I don’t think he deserves that. _

 

_ With love, _

_ Rouge _

 

\---

 

They were going on a trip throughout the Fell kingdom today to interact more closely with the subjects. Lav had done such activities in his own kingdom with his brother, and wasn’t entirely surprised that he would perform such tasks as the soon-to-be queen of the kingdom. He was surprised, however, when he found that Jade was the one who had suggested it.

 

They were escorted by a group of canines and Gytha- whom Lav had come to understand was the personal guard to the Prince himself- as they walked the path in town. A few passersby stopped to stare as they walked past, but Lav just ignored the searching glances, nodding with a small smile on his face at those who stopped to bow or kneel as the small procession continued forward. They stopped in the square of the marketplace before traveling to various booths themselves, stopping at each and looking over their wares. 

 

At one of the trinket booths, run by an odd old person in a cloak, Jade stopped, examining the various items closely. He reached forward and picked up an intricate pipe, holding it up and turning it in the sunlight. The lower body of it was ivory, a pattern of flowers carved into it, with a rich brown wood making up the stem that led away from the bowl. Lav watched as he almost excitedly looked over the pipe before he stiffened. The pained expression came back- just an instant, as it had always been over the times that Lav had seen it- and he set it down gently, instead picking up a blown-glass paperweight of various colors, purchasing it without a second glance, handing the item to one of the dogs before he moved on. Lav spared one last look at the pipe before following after the Prince, ignoring the odd humming of the person behind him.

 

_ ~Humm dee dee, the sacrifice is great for all.~ _

 

They entered a small bakery shop, the owner- a bunny- seeming shocked before she hurried out from behind the counter, hurriedly kneeling before the group. “Your highnesses! I’m honored beyond all compare!”

 

Jade paid the woman no mind, still seemingly focused on the thoughts inside his head. Lav looked from him to the bunny before he decided to speak up. “The pleasure is all ours. Would you mind if we sampled some of your pastries?”

 

Her ears perked up as he spoke, an excited glint in her eyes as she once against stated her honor at having them at her establishment, before she hurried back into what must be the kitchen. It was a quaint shop, the air having a pleasant smell of sweets and breads. The laughter of children could be heard outside as they ran past the front of the shop. She soon came back out of the doors of the back room with a pan full of steaming cinnamon buns drizzled with frosting. One of the dogs sniffed over the buns, checking them for any kind of poison or drug, before sitting back on his haunches. 

 

Lav gave the dog a quick pat- to which his neck seemed to grow a couple centimeters. Lav just ignored that- before he reached forward and grabbed the hot cakes, cursing and tossing the sticky treat back and forth between his hands trying to cool it before popping it in his mouth in one go. His eyes widened and he chewed it quickly, swallowing it and licking off his fingers. Princess-like behaviour be  _ damned _ , that was fucking incredible. “Holy shit, that’s one of the best things that I’ve ever put in my mouth.” He looked over to Jade. “Can I get, like, twenty of these?”

 

The bunny stood in surprise for a moment before the smile returned to her face ten-fold. She bowed deeply, her ears turning this way and that in her excitement as she set down the tray and scurried off into the back, likely to bake more of the pastries so they could be bagged up. Jade had let out a small huff of laughter at his interaction with the baker, and Lav found himself with a grin. “Ah, so he does laugh!”

 

Jade just glanced off to the side, not acknowledging the statement beyond a slight twitch of his mouth. It was the first time Lav had seen him without some sort of scowl or grieving expression on his face. 

 

It was a relief.

 

\---

 

King Garrick was falling down. Lav hadn’t realized it at first, but looking back on the experiences he’d had- the king coughing raw magic into his had, the desperate sort of wheezing breaths that he would struggle to inhale, the somber nature of those within the castle- it was blaringly obvious. The current King was dying and, as such would be expected of the Prince and his Princess, they visited him on his deathbed.

 

The room was dimly lit, and only a single servant was walking about, kindling the fire and delivering food and water to the bedridden ruler. Most likely a specific request from the proud King not wanting anyone to see him at his weakest.

 

As he walked into the room, Lav was struck by just how small the King looked, dwarfed in size by the large bed and pillows stacked around him and behind his back, holding him up. He began hacking a cough, the servant in the room rushing forward and handing him a towel which he held over his mouth, racking shakes causing his delicate frame to tremble. The beginnings of dust were already starting to drift from his limbs, the jerking movements of the coughs only causing the process to worsen.

 

Jade had rushed forwards when the coughing began, but stopped a few feet short of the bed when King Garrick fixed him with a glare. He pulled the towel away from his mouth, wheezing to take in breaths of air through a throat that no longer wanted to function, dark red, curdled magic soaking into the cloth, with black specks dotting the towel. The King’s voice came out strained, scratchy, and weary, holding none of the original power that was once carried across in every word uttered. “I’m... not dead... yet.” He took deep, ragged breaths between each phrases of words.

 

His gaze moved over to the servant and he dismissed them, waiting as they bowed deeply and shut the door to the room with a soft click before he began to speak again. Lav had to struggle to hear him. “I’m at my last… few hours… Soon, the two of you… will be the new rulers of the kingdom… I need your promise… that you will produce an heir… and ensure the continued… prosperity of the subjects… despite any reservations… you may have had.”

 

Jade’s hands were trembling slightly at his sides, the only physical reaction he gave at watching his father die. “I promise.”

 

The feeble gaze shifted to Lav. The same hint of disgust was there that had always been, but it was far overshadowed by the weariness in the sockets. This couldn’t be the same man that was depicted in the fearsome mural he passed in the halls everyday, could it? Lavender nodded somberly. “You have my word.”

 

\---

 

The funeral wasn’t much, as the late-king had wished for it not to be. A wooden case full of the dust was sent out to sea in a small boat that was lit on fire, the tides carrying it far away from the Kingdom of Fell. The personal items of Garrick were moved to different parts of the castle, clearing out room in the King’s quarters for his son. The grieving period was over soon- too soon, the dignitaries and condolences that were sent and given numbered far too many to count, and the procession of events flew by quickly- and the kingdom began to move on.

 

Jade was crowned as the new legal King of Fell. Lav was crowned in the same day. Queen.

 

Life moved on, and the new king and queen- Lav honestly didn’t think he could ever get used to being called a queen- moved into the room that had been previously occupied by the late Garrick.

 

Jade had been, surprisingly, silent throughout the whole ordeal, not weeping any tears, not showing any emotion at the crowning and the funeral.

 

Lav, walking back to their room one night, had stumbled upon the king sitting on the balcony that extended from the quarters. A small trail of smoke wound up from an area around his head, and Lav realized that he was smoking.

 

He didn’t know what to do. Whether to be consoling or not was a huge debate, as he wasn’t the closest person to Jade, yet he also wasn’t certain what the other’s thoughts were on his deceased father. He chose to walk over and sit beside the other, opting to stay silent. Jade looked over at him as he sat, taking another deep drag of the pipe in his hands (it was old and well-worn, which was odd considering that he’s never seen the other smoke) before releasing the smoke into the sky. He sighed heavily, taking the hand holding the pipe and reaching it over to one of the bars holding up the safety rail to the balcony, using it to tap out the hots that were in the bowl. “I owe you an apology.”

 

Lav started at the voice as it drifted quietly throughout the air before he looked at the other. “What do you mean?”

 

Jade held the pipe almost reverently in his hands, turning it over with an unreadable expression on his face. “The anger that I’d held towards you for a while. I apologize for it.”

 

Lav started at that, giving a sad sort of chuckle before he looked down below the balcony. The royal gardens. He hadn’t explored that area yet. He’d have to do so later. “With the reputation that I held, rumors or not, I honestly couldn’t blame you.”

 

Jade sighed again, looking off to the side. “It had nothing to do with your reputation. I chose to make you my betrothed.”

 

Lav felt his soul stop. “What do you mean?”

 

Jade ran a hand down his face before bringing it back down with the other to look at the pipe. “I mean… I believe that the situations in which we found ourselves placed in were entirely unfair in regards to the sacrifices that needed to be made. My own selfish nature is what put you in this position in the first place, away from the one you love, and for that I can never ask you to forgive me.”

 

Lav sat, confused at his cryptid words. Jade glanced at him out of the corner of his eye before looking back forward and continuing his explanation. His hands slowly ran over the smooth wood of the pipe, soothing himself as he sighed wearily.

 

“A while back, I found myself engaged in a courtship… I found myself falling in love with someone who was entirely unobtainable in terms of our status. The Prince of the Swaith Kingdom, Saffron, and I were… Lovers, to put it in the simplest, yet most complex, terms. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the roles within our kingdoms, any attempt at union would be close to a matter of treason. My… father found out about my relationship and ordered me to pick a princess to wed in order to rid myself of any foolish notions.

 

“Because of my anger and my grief, I wished to get back at my father in any way that I could. So, when I read and heard about the rumors of the Princess of the Lust kingdom… I knew that such an arrangement would- eloquently put- piss my father off. And that was all I had cared about at the time, not minding any consequences of my actions on others,” his gaze moved up to meet Lav’s for the first time since he had began his tale before it flicked back down to his hands. “Even yourself.”

 

Lav could only stare at the other. He wasn’t sure what to feel right now. “Why are you telling me all this?”

 

Jade gave a chuckle, but there was no joy behind it, the laugh being pained and mournful. “Because I feel like confessing? Because my father is finally dead and I no longer have to worry about his opinions of myself? Because now you’re my queen, and I’m supposed to disclose important information to you?” His eyes moved up and met Lav’s own. “Because our situations are more similar than the both of us would care to admit?”

 

Lav looked away, giving a sad chuckle of his own. He couldn’t really bring himself to care about the other’s confession. Betrothal was bound to happen to him eventually as the first-born of the king anyways. “How did you find out?”

 

“The look in your eyes. I recognized it from my own.”

 

Lav chuckled again. “Well. I guess we’re both  _ royally _ fucked.”

 

Jade stiffened at the pun, looking over at him and trying to hide a smile. “That was fucking terrible.”

 

Lavender laughed, agreeing. They sat in silence after that, the only sound being the soft burble of the fountain from the gardens below and the occasional cricket chirp.

 

\---

 

It had been a few months since King Garricks death. Eventually, the condolences stopped coming in, and everything that needed to be set for the kingdom was squared away. Life went on, as life tends to do.

 

As the Queen, Lav did his best to perform the duties that he had, though they mostly consisted of making minor decisions for the kingdom and appearing in any more serious matters beside the King for support. Of course, there was the obligation to do these as being the new Queen, but he found that he didn’t mind doing them if he knew that it would lighten the load for King Jade, who he could safely call a friend.

 

Which is why, when they were walking through the gardens one day, discussing matters of the kingdom and shit-talking some of the more cringe-worthy dignitaries, Lavender was shocked when Jade asked if he wanted to leave. He quickly snapped his head to the other, reading over his expression for any sign that what he had just heard wasn’t some ridiculous hallucination. When he found the other staring at him expectantly, he was utterly confused.

 

“What do you mean,  _ leave? _ I can’t just abandon my role as Queen!” Jade continued taking slow strides forward, looking over the flowers in the garden with a careful eye. Lav noticed him surveying the area for any unwanted ears before he spoke.

 

“You wouldn’t be abandoning them. You’d be dying.”

 

“What the fuck.”

 

Jade laughed, shaking his head before glancing out over the various plants. “No, no, not like that. At least, not in actuality.” He looked down at Lav, who was struggling to maintain a grasp on the situation.

 

His eyes widened as he realized what the other was suggesting. “You mean-!” He stopped himself, lowering his voice to a hiss as he glanced around the area. “You mean faking my death?!”

 

Jade calmly ran his hand over the petals of a rose. Not yet in full bloom, it was still curled tightly in on itself. An almost amused smile was across his face. “Oh, good. You figured it out.” He looked down at the other with a cocky grin. “I was worried I was going to have to spell it out for you.”

 

Lav sputtered, trying to fully understand just what the other was suggesting. “I can’t just pretend to die!”

 

“If you’re worried about what your family would think, I could always inform them of it afterwards, though I would think of it to be best that you tell as few people as possible.”

 

Lav sat down on the edge of the fountain, not trusting his legs to hold him up any longer. “But… what about my duties as Queen?”

 

Jade shook his head, sitting down beside him. “Please. There’s nothing truly of importance that you do here. Even in the meetings about more serious matters, you only know what I’m told, and possibly even less. If I want to go back over what was said in the meetings if I’ve forgotten, a scribe who wrote down what was said would fill the same role that you did.”

 

Lav’s hands were shaking in his lap. “My… people. What about the citizens of Lust? If I’m thought to be dead then-”

 

Jade placed a large hand on his shoulder, interrupting his speaking with a gentle voice. “Then they would mourn, but any and all land and goods given as a dowry would remain theirs.” Lavender frantically searched the ground, trying to find any other arguments that couldn’t be rebuffed, but coming up with none. Jade continued speaking. “I understand that it’s a lot for you to process, and so I’ll give you time to think about it.”

 

He went to get up but was stopped by a hand gripping at his shirt. Lavender looked at him with tear-brimmed eyes. “I… I don’t understand,  _ why _ you would do something like this. What…”

 

Jade sat back down sighing out of his nose and looking off to the side. “We’ve had our differences. And we’ve gotten over them.” He turned back to Lav. “I consider you one of my dearest friends, and as such, I want you to be happy with the one that you love.” Lav looked up, meeting Jade’s eyes. “You do still love him, don’t you?” Lav frantically shook his head. “Then I think you deserve to be with the one that you love. I… Can never have that in any form or manner. But you? You deserve to be happy.” He stood again, and Lav’s hand fell off of his clothes, having lost his grip.

 

His eyes were burning with tears. “But what about  _ your _ kingdom. You… you need an  _ heir _ and you have to have a Queen to produce one.”

 

Jade looked at him, raising one of his brows. “Look me dead in the eye and tell me that you want to fuck me.” Lav gave a teary grin and winked, and the new King immediately backpedaled. “Actually, don’t you dare do that. I prefer my lunch in my stomach, thank you.”

 

Lav jumped up from the fountain, lunging at Jade’s middle and latching around it, hugging him tightly. He tensed for a moment before he relaxed slightly, bringing one of his own arms around him and pulling him closer.

 

They stayed that way for a while.

 

\---

 

_ Dear Lav, _

 

_ Are you okay? We simply haven’t written to each other in a while, and I was hoping to check on you. Things are going well here still! Though, there was an incident where one of the horses that was being trained managed to get out of the barracks, and somehow into the castle! No one was injured, fortunately enough, but the horse did leave a… gift inside one of the teachers’ rooms. I thought that you would enjoy hearing about that! _

 

_ Write back as soon as possible! I miss you! _

 

_ With love, _

_ Rouge _

  
  


_ Dear Lav, _

 

_ I’ve heard the news spread that you’re sick. I do hope you’re going to feel better soon! I can understand you not writing back if you haven’t been feeling well, but I do hope that, at the very least, you’re able to read these letters! Everyone had said that they hope that you get well soon! Periwinkle said that he heard a rumor from humans that lipstick has healing qualities, but I’m not sure how well that would work on any of us, considering that we’re all skeletons. _

 

_ Though I imagine that you would be one of the first to give it a shot. _

 

_ Love, _

_ Rouge _

  
  


_ Dear Lav, _

 

_ Word has come that you’re very, very sick. I wish we could visit you, but father said that we can’t do so until we’ve received an affirmative on our request from King Jade. I hope to god that you’re alright. I love you. _

 

_ Please get better, _

_ Rouge _

 

_   
_ _ Lav, _

 

_ I received your final letter. _

 

_ … _

 

_ I hope that you find true happiness, and get everything that you deserve in life. _

 

_ I wish you the best, in both this life, and the rest. _

 

_ I love you, _

_ Rouge _

 

\---

 

Lav pulled the black cloak he was wearing over his head as far as it would go, traveling silently in the dark to the stables. He crouched down beside a bush near the front of the large buildings and watched the doors. They creaked open silently, a dim lantern being waved out the door once, twice, three times. The signal. He moved swiftly into the barn, keeping low until he entered the building, breathing only once the doors slid shut behind him.

 

Jade and Gytha were standing in the room. Two jet-black steeds were saddled and ready to be mounted, bags on either sides of their haunches holding supplies for the trip. Lav felt a thrill of excitement run through his body as he stared at them. They… They were really doing this.

 

Gytha gave Jade a hard clap on the back, laughing as he huffed at something she had said. Lavender smiled, walking forward to stop in front of the king. He stretched both his arms to the side, moving his fingers back and forth as prompting. Jade gave a long-suffering sigh, but leaned forward anyways to give him a hug. Lav laughed as the other let go and stood, not letting go and remaining latched around his shoulders like some sort of parasite. Lav fell off as Jade shook himself, losing his grip and landing with both feet on the floor and a large grin. He looked up at Jade. “You really are the coolest, you know?”

 

Jade huffed, looking off to the side, trying to hide his smile. “I know.”

 

Gytha groaned, having already mounted her horse and waiting impatiently. “If you LADIES wouldn’t mind hurrying up, I’d like to be out of castle by dawn, thank you very much.”

 

Lav huffed, splaying his hand across his chest and doing his best to look offended. “Excuse me? You dare speak that way to your  _ queen _ ?”

 

She sneered down at him. “The queen is dead, bitch. As of now, you’re just a  _ nerd _ .”

 

Lav laughed. He hiked his thumb over to Jade. “Well, he’s still the King.”

 

She grinned. “Yeah, but he’s a nerd too. Just a big ‘ol SOFTY!” Jade grumbled, going over to the stable doors and opening them for the two horses to exit.

 

Lav stopped the horse beside the other before he passed, looking down and smiling gratefully. Jade noticed it, and gave his own smile, nodding at him as he turned away and followed the haunches of Gytha’s steed away from the castle.

 

His life was waiting ahead.

 

\---

 

They reached the top of a large hill just as the sun began to rise. Gytha pulled her horse to a stop, looking over the town below before turning her horse to Lav. “This is as far as I go.” She jerked her head down to the series of buildings and farms. “Your lover’s down there somewhere.”

 

Lav stopped, looking down at the town before back up to the brash water sprite. “Wait, how did you-?”

 

“Know what he looked like?” She grinned. “I looked through a bunch of your shit while you were ‘dying’ and I found a flyer for a runaway servant.” She faced forward on her horse, looking very smug. “I’d never seen the guy before so I figured that he must be this lover that King Jade mentioned.” She reached into her bag and pulled out said flyer, and he took it from her with a grumble, folding it gently before placing it in the bag beside him.

 

He’d kept the flyer ever since his brother had sent it in one of the letters he mentioned it in. Lav had held it dear, the rough sketch being the only real thing he had of the other. He looked at the lines on the paper before looking out on the sleepy town, the slightest beginnings of movements beginning to stir.

 

He turned to Gytha. “Thank you. For everything.” 

 

She chortled. “Pft, yeah, fucking whatever, nerd.” He turned his steed to the town and began walking down the hill. Gytha’s brash voice followed him as he spurred it into a gallop.

 

“GO FIND THAT SEXY DICK, MAN!” 

  
He spurred the horse faster. He planned on doing just that.


	2. The Sacrifice of a Servant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cer's POV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> everyone has different names so here's the naming guide:
> 
> Fell- Jade  
> Red- Carmine  
> Lust- Lavender (Lav)  
> Sans- Cerulean (Cer)  
> Pink- Rouge  
> Blue- Periwinkle (Peri)  
> Razz- Byzantium  
> Stretch- Saffron  
> Papyrus- Annatto  
> Gerson- still Gerson lmfao  
> UF Undyne- Gytha  
> Slim- Hearst  
> Sci- Thistle  
> UF Gaster- Garrick

He’d started running with no real destination in mind. Though, Cer supposed that “running” was a loose term, considering that he was half-stumbling, half-walking around. How long had he been walking? He leaned against a tree, sliding down it to the ground and relishing the sharp scrape of the bark that kept him grounded. A look up at the sky showed that it was almost dark again, showing just how much time had passed since he had ran away this morning.

 

He closed his sockets tightly and pressed the heels of his palms into them, hard, as if he could use sheer force to keep the tears from flowing. The prickling behind his eyes went away as he took in deep, slightly shaky breaths. He stood up and kept moving through the brush. 

 

The tree branches swayed slightly as the wind blew, causing a gentle whisper of leaves to fill the silence. The occasional bird call made its way through the branches, and, as he continued to walk, the sound of a slow-running brook was heard under each of his crunching footsteps. He stopped once he reached the small stream of water, staring down at it and watching the gentle current carry floating leaves far from their home. The entire scene was relaxing and full of life. It did nothing to calm him.

 

He sat by the water with a sigh, reaching into the knapsack he had brought with him- he had barely taken anything with him when he left, just a container of water and rations enough to last him for a day or two, he’d wanted to travel light- and refilling his water before drinking deeply from it. He looked down to his side once he was done, stopping when he saw a familiar kind of flowers. He’d never really cared much for the garden back at the castle. The strong aroma of the flowers would give him a headache if he stayed too long, but he’d often gone with…

 

He shook his head.

 

These flowers didn’t grow nearly as tall as the ones that were in the castle gardens, the prickly stems stopping at a height of only a foot or so. Most likely because they weren’t tended to by any gardeners. The petals were broken from insects or other creatures destroying them. He almost didn’t recognize them for what they were at first due to the damage, but there was really no mistaking the distinctive blue flowers with a yellow center.

 

Forget-Me-Nots.

 

They’d been Lav’s favorite, as he had mentioned on almost every occasion that they went into the garden, at first to just inform Cer of his preferences, but later as a teasing sort of ploy that would make him roll his eyes and huff in amusement as the sheer number of repetitions. He sighed heavily, leaning over and refilling the container from the stream before capping it and putting it back in his bag. He walked through the shallow stream and to the other bank, climbing it before he continued his walk through the forest. He didn’t bother looking back at the flowers.

 

Stepping out of the underbrush, he was surprised to find a well-worn trail. Soon he found himself walking on a broad, dirt road, following the carriage tracks and hoof marks in the mud as he walked towards what had to be a small town. Every now and again, he’d have to walk further in the center of the path due to an excess of mud on the side. It was during one of these times that the sound of thundering hooves came rushing up behind him.

 

A surprised shout was heard from the one mounted on top of the steed, a warning or a scream, Cer didn’t know. He didn’t have time to turn around and see who it was before the horse ran him over, trampling him.

 

Through vision hazed with pain, he saw the outline of the rider jumping from the bronco as it continued to gallop uncontrollably, the person running towards him. The last thing he saw was the blurry outline of a Forget-Me-Not peeking through the gaps in the shrubbery.

 

\---

 

His eyes flickered open and he almost immediately regretted it, closing them with a groan. He heard the sound of the door opening and someone scurrying into the room, the sound of furniture and such scraping across the floor before a wet cloth was placed against his forehead. The voice muttered worriedly as the person continued to dab at his face with the wet cloth. Cer took in a shaky breath- god, every breath was  _ agony _ , what had happened to his ribs?- before cracking open a single eye with a wince. He looked through the room before settling on the person wiping his brow with the wet cloth. (It felt wonderful against his heated bones. Was he sick?)

 

It was a skeleton, clothes slightly grimy from mud and dirt, sleeves rolled up past the elbow as they tuttered over Cer. They let out a sigh of relief when they made eye contact with each other, giving his brow one final swipe before placing the rag in a bowl of water beside the bed. Cer looked closer around the room. From what he could gather, he was in some kind of house, the room actually fairly clean, a single window showing that dusk was fast approaching. He attempted to sit up and hissed in pain once again. The skeleton rushed over and gently pressed him back down into the bed. Cer was too tired to resist.

 

“You need to rest. Just stay in bed.” They reached behind themself, grabbing a cup and holding it up to Cer’s mouth. He took it in his own hands- he was injured, not infantile- and took a sip, drinking greedily once he realized his own thirst. He gave it back with a satisfied sigh, looking at the other. “...Thank you.”

 

They smiled widely. “You’re welcome! My name is Annatto!” They stuck out one of their hands to Cer, holding it there and looking at him expectantly. Cer gave a small grin, reaching up slowly and grasping the hand with his own.

 

“Cerulean. You can call me Cer.”

 

The skeleton- Annatto- smiled brightly as he stood placing both hands on his hips. “It’s very nice to meet you, Cer! How are you feeling? You’ve been unconscious for the past four days.”

 

Cer shifted a bit, wincing at the pain, but it wasn’t nearly as bad when he was expecting it. “Likewise. And, uh, I’m kinda in pain?” He looked up at the taller, who was looking off to the side with a slightly guilty expression. “Do you know what happened?”

 

Annatto laughed nervously, reaching up his arm to scratch behind his head. He sighed and dropped it after a few moments, the guilty expression coming back as he glanced up at Cer, then back to the floor. “I was trying to train one of my younger workhorses, and it jumped the fence in the pen and started galloping off. He… Trampled you.” He brought his arms in front of himself and crossed them, his shoulders hunching up slightly as if he was expecting Cer to yell at him. When nothing happened, he continued. “It broke a few of your ribs and severely bruised the femur of your left leg. The healer said that you were lucky to survive, with such a low HP as your own.”

 

Cer listened to the story quietly before giving a soft sigh, trying to sit up once again. Annatto saw him doing so and reached forwards to help him, placing a few straw-stuffed pillows behind his back to support him. “Well, were you steering the horse?” Annotto blinked before a shocked look came over his face and he leaned back, shaking his head in horror. “Well then, why the long face?”

 

Annatto grimaced. “Because you’re... Injured…” His eyes narrowed into slits and he gave Cer a wary look. “Was that a pun?” Cer just gave a wide grin in response and Annatto crossed his arms, unamused. “I’m changing the subject. Where are you from? I’m sure your loved ones are worried about you.” He left the room, coming back with a small bowl of steaming broth. Cer winced, looking off to the side at the question. Though he was grateful that the other had helped him after he was injured by the out of control horse, he couldn’t tell him where he had come from. His presence at the palace had to have been noticed at this point, and no matter how nice this Annatto seemed, money for the return of himself could tempt even the kindest hearts.

 

Instead he just gave a small shrug, trying to look unconcerned. “I’m not from anywhere. More of a traveler than anything, actually. No real home or family.” He grunted, turning his lower body so that his legs were hanging off the bed. Annatto gasped as he moved, quickly going to Cer and trying to get him to lay back down.

 

Normally, he’d love nothing more than to just lay in bed all day, but he needed to get moving. There was no way he got far enough away from the castle in only a day and a half, plus he’d been unconscious for the past four. He need to get moving  _ now _ , far away from Lust and Fell and the betrothal before the idea to burst into whatever place that Lav currently was, declaring his love and running off into the far away future. The thought almost made him laugh. He’d be killed before he got anywhere near the other, and the very thought of that plan just went to show just how  _ stupid _ he really was, first falling for the princess and now thinking that there was any chance of them ever even remotely being together.

 

“CER!” He started, looking up at Annotto, who was gripping both of his shoulders as he shook violently. He took a deep breath, calming himself before he sighed deeply, sitting back down with a weariness weighing heavy on his soul. The other handed him the bowl of broth he brought in earlier before he stood up, still looking very concerned but not wanting to pry in his asking. Cer was grateful for that much, at least. Small chunks of potatoes floated in the soup, and he took a small sip before he realized just how hungry he was, scarfing down as much as he could. Annatto watched him all the while with an odd sort of pitying look on his face. Cer couldn’t help but agree.

 

He was really pathetic.

 

\---

 

Annatto continued to care for him as his bones slowly mended together and he regained his strength. He’d stopped arguing about it after a while, realizing that he couldn’t really travel anywhere if he couldn’t walk, much less stand. Eventually he got enough strength to be able to walk around the small cottage that he was staying in, albeit in small bursts, and he was soon able to walk around outside and in town to find out just what kind of village he’d found himself in. During his first few days he had simply thought that it was a village on the edge of the kingdoms that was specifically for farming, or one of those manors that he’d heard about during  Periwinkle’s weekly gossip hour. After walking around a bit, though, he came to realize that there were no lords or ladies that owned the land. They were just normal subjects who controlled their own endeavors and lived their own lives. 

 

Granted, there were still farms and farmers within the center of the town selling their wares, but a quick survey of the area showed that there were businesses that were owned by the townsfolk themselves. The resounding chime of a blacksmith's hammer was heard in the distance. It was extremely lively in the marketplace, though Cer supposed that was to be expected with the harvesting season being so close. He felt himself relax at the din of the crowd around him, taking in the sights and sounds as best he could before he would be inevitably leaving soon. He heard a sharp giggle off to his side and looked over to see two monsters, a cat and an alligator?, sitting in front of a tattered blanket with various old trinkets scattered on it. He avoided looking at them, knowing that if he made eye contact with them they’d try to force their wares on him. He planned on just walking past, but as he turned to walk he realized that a large gathering of people were preventing him from moving forward. He sighed as he realized that he couldn’t walk back the other way without walking past the two junk sellers. Speaking of, he heard a sharp gasp from the shorter of the two.

 

“OH MY GOD, BRATTY! I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVEN’T HEARD THE NEWS!” Their voices were almost painfully loud. Cer could only wait for the crowd in front of him to clear before he could walk away from their grating voices.

 

“Oh-em-gee, Catty! Leave me alone!” Her hand came up to rest against her mouth as she giggled again. “Just tell me!”

 

Cer sighed as the crowd shuffled slightly, but not enough for him to move past. “Like, the Princess of Lust is totally getting married!!” Cer froze, tensing up. God, he needed this crowd to get out of the way  _ now _ .

 

“Shut up, Catty! Like, no way!” She glanced around as if she was delivering a secret before leaning forward. “But, like, what about all the rumors? Who would want to marry him after that?!” Cer wasn’t sure why she had bothered to lean forward when she continued to speak in as loud of a tone as before.

 

An opening appeared in the crowd and he pushed through, making his way to the center. An elbow hit him in the face and he gave a low grumble, continuing to move past. What were they even looking at that was so interesting? He managed to squirm his way out of the crowd and appeared in the center. He dusted himself off and looked up, pausing at what he saw. On a board, likely a memo board for alerts and things of the like, was an official posting of paper, marked with the wax stamp of royalty. That wasn’t what stopped him, though. As a servant, he had never learned to read and had never been required to. Despite knowing how his own name looked on a piece of paper, he had no idea what jumbles of letters created the words on any document or letter that was ever written. However, he wasn’t so blind to not know what the insignia of various kingdoms were. On the paper, carefully hand-drawn in ink, were the symbols for both the Kingdom of Fell and the Kingdom of Lust.

 

He ripped his gaze away from the document and walked quickly away from the center, trying to ignore the whispers of gossip about the Princess of Lust while he was at it. Cer stumbled into a shop, a bell dinging as the door hit it, alerting anyone inside that a customer had just entered. He winced, discreetly patting his pockets to look for any money. Of course he didn’t have anything, though. He’d been essentially mooching off of Annatto’s kindness as he recovered, and he would more likely than not just get up and leave in case the other demanded repayment. He didn’t have anything worth anything.

 

A chuckle from behind him caused him to jump, turning around to see who was there. He was met with an old tortoise, a few inches taller than himself, holding a cane with many designs carved in, gemstones placed at the very top of it that glowed soothingly. The old tortoise laughed again. “Now, what’s a young lad like yerself doing up and about in my shop?” He turned his head, opening one eye fully to look him up and down before giving a wheezing laugh, holding his cane in front of himself with both hands as a support. “Ye heh heh! Well, look what the cat dragged in!” The man shuffled over to him and hit him on the leg with his cane. Cer winced and grabbed it with a hiss, the bone still being slightly bruised. “Now just what do ya think yer doin up and about with them bones of yers still injured the way they are?”

 

Cer blinked, looking up at the turtle in confusion. “Wait, how did you know-”

 

The turtle laughed again, bringing his cane up to knock on the top of Cer’s skull with a few hollow thunks. Cer reached up and smacked the wood away, backing away a few steps. Jesus, this guy was crazy! “I ain’t surprised that ya don’t remember me bucko, but I do ‘ave ta say that I’m pretty hurt.” He chortled again, the skin on the underside of his chin swaying back and forth as he did so. “Then again, you were unconscious at the time. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to heal ya because of yer injuries!”

 

Cer blinked as the tortoise continued. “I tell ya, that boy Annatto, he’s a real hoot! ‘The Amazing Annatto’ s’what he called himself when he was younger! Raised that boy from just a lad, I did.” Cer opened his mouth to speak, but the old man continued without pause. “I told him, I did, that he shouldn’t try to train a brand new bronco all by himself! Ah, but if anyone could have done it on their own it’s that boy, heh heh. Runs a farm all by his lonesome! Grows food for some of the locals who can’t do so themselves because of age or sickness.” He opened his eyes and gave Cer a wink, reaching around behind himself and giving his shell a few hard whacks with the cane. It resounded like a drum. “Kinda like this old tortoise here, eh?”

 

Cer looked away nervously, giving the shop a once-over. “I don’t-”

 

The tortoise interrupted him again, and he fought back the urge to yell. “Ah! How rude of me! I haven’t told ya my name yet!” He shuffled up with another laugh and stuck out one of his hands. “The names Gerson! The town healer, dealer, and all-around hoot!” Cer just looked at the hand, not making any move to shake it as he glared over at the cane. Gerson gave a chuckle. “I’ll tell ya what, boy, I’ll give ya a hard whack if ya  _ don’t _ shake my hand, heh heh.”

 

Cer reached forward and shook it. “I'm Cerulean. Call me Cer.” The old man laughed before he pulled the skeleton forward by his hand, giving him a whack on the head with his cane before meandering back behind the shop counter.

 

Cer cursed. “What the hell, old man?!” 

 

Gerson just winked as he settled down onto a stool by the register with a grunt. “Now, I didn’t say that I  _ wouldn't  _ hit ya if ya shook my hand.” Cer opened his mouth to retort when Gerson interrupted him. “So, to change the subject, just how do ya intend to repay Annatto fer him takin’ care of ya?”

 

Cer blinked. “...Repay?”

 

Gerson gave him a pleasant smile. Or as pleasant of a smile that he could give without any teeth. “Ya know, for him nursin’ ya back to health, giving ya his food and one his beds, taking time out of his busy life as a farmer to wait on yerself hand and foot.” The smile turned slightly bitter. Cer felt a slight chill run down his back. “Ya don’t plan on just up and leaving behind a debt that ya can’t repay, do ya?” Cer quickly shook his head. “Good, good. A traveler such as yerself doesn’t have much in the way of money, but since yer capable of walking and such, come back to the shop tomorrow.” He grinned. “I’ll find some way to put ya to work, eh?”

 

Cer nodded again, exiting the shop with a shaky promise to come back to the shop the next morning. He shut the door with a relieved sigh, the cheery bell ringing as it was once again struck. He trudged back to the small cottage on the edge of the village, entering and being startled by Annatto quickly standing up from one of the carved wooden chairs that he had been sitting in. He seemed the cheer significantly when he saw Cer, giving an almost relieved smile. “Oh! I thought you had left! I came back to see you gone and I thought that maybe you had decided to keep traveling.”

 

Cer’s mind went back to his conversation with Gerson and he blinked before giving his reply. “Without repaying you for your kindness? Please.”

 

\---

 

He hobbled into the shop the next morning, anxiously looking around near the entrance so that he wouldn't be hit by another rouge cane. Fortunately, it seemed like Gerson was in the back, chatting with someone in a low tone. He cursed the cheerful bells that sounded since they gave away the fact that he had been listening. He heard Gerson give a loud, yucking laugh as he poked his head around the side of a large shelf filled with small trinkets and necklaces. “Well, speak of tha devil! We were just talking about yer!”

 

He waddled a few steps towards the door and Cer found himself taking a step back. “We?”

 

Gerson laughed again, using the slightly hooked end of the cane to pull someone into view. A skeleton, much like himself stammered nervously as he was brought away from hiding behind the cabinet. He looked at Gerson and then to Cer, giving a small wave. “Oh, uh, hi! Hello, I’m Thistle! I’m the ‘we’!” He blinked, looking off to the side and giving his head an embarrassed rub. “Or, I’m part of the ‘we’.”

 

Cer blinked at Thistle, looking him up and down. He moved his gaze to Gerson. “What… Is this?”

 

Gerson chuckled, giving Cer a wink. “Well, I said that I’d be putting ya ta work, didn’t I? Thistle here’s gonna give you some jobs to do!” He shook his head in amusement as he walked back to the counter, plopping himself on the stool with a groan. “I don’t really need much help ‘round here, considering that I don’t get much business in the first place.” He looked at the two skeletons before moving his hand to shoo them away. They both walked out the front, and Cer found himself giving a cautious look at the skeleton beside him. Why were there so many skeletons in this town?

 

Thistle adjusted the strap that was holding the glasses on his head. “Well, if you want to come with me, then I can put you to work!” He gave a nervous chuckle and began walking, waving at various townsfolk as he passed them. Cer followed him with his shoulders hunched until they entered another building, this one full of books on one end, with the other end holding a few tables with small metal bits and pieces lining the top. Thistle wiped off non-existent dirt that was on his pants, turning and smiling at Cer. “Okay, so as a sort of interview, what experience do you have in anything?”

 

Cer looked over the shelves before looking back at the other skeleton. “I used to… I’ve done cleaning and serving as work before.” That was vague enough, right?

 

Thistle looked over the small shop, and Cer realized that there was no real mess that needed to be cleaned. “There’s not much of a need for any of that in here…” He trailed off, seeming to think before his eyes lit up and he turned to look at Cer. “You could help sort books!” He nodded to himself as he walked away, muttering under his breath. Cer could hear him, and he would have found it amusing if he knew what was going on. “I’m too busy with my work nowadays anyway, so I don’t really have time to go through and make sure everything is in its place. Only a few townsfolk check out books for leisure anyways, most of them just come to take a book off the shelf to settle a debate on something or look up remedies and the like.” Sometime during his conversation with himself, he had gone to a sort of counter and was bending underneath of it, coming back up every so often to set a few heavy books down on the table.

 

Cer decided to speak up. “I… can’t read.”

 

Thistle waved him off, giving a grin. “I thought as much, but you don’t have to be able to read to sort them.” He picked up a book, turning it and showing Cer the spine. There was an odd symbol painted on it and- following the direction that Thistle was pointing- he saw that there was a similar symbol carved into one of the shelves. He nodded, taking a few books and matching them up to the symbols on the wood until they were all put up. He brushed his hands off on his pants before walking back to the front, looking for the other. He stopped when he saw him hunched over a large sheet of parchment, scribbling something down and occasionally getting up to mess around with the pieces of scrap metal that were on the table, looking unsatisfied before coming back to the parchment.

 

Cer walked over, curious as to what the other was doing, and looked over some of the pieces. He picked a few up and started fiddling with them, glancing over at the parchment occasionally. There were a few pictures of the like, and he squinted closely at them before looking back down at the metal bits, trying to align them like they were in the drawing. They clicked together and Cer twisted the pieces, locking them in place. He looked up at Thistle, who was still frowning intently at the parchment, before continuing to attach metal bits to the part. Some of them had odd ridges on them, looking akin to letters. He decided to leave those be, and instead assembled something that looked like a tube. He was turning it over in his hand when he heard Thistle gasp, startling him.

 

He was looking intently at the device in his hand. “What… did you do?”

 

Cer hunched down a bit. “I don’t know?” He offered. Thistle took the tube from his hands before he looked down at the letters that were still on the table. His eyes lit up as he began to put the pieces in place in various orders, holding it horizontally in his hands and rotating it while laughing. 

 

“Oh God! That makes so much sense!” His grin twitched a bit as he looked down at the notes with a sour look. “He always was terrible at writing notes.”

 

Cer looked him over suspiciously. Jesus, what was with this town and people talking to themselves? “Who’s ‘he’?”

 

Thistle jumped at the voice, looking back at Cer with a chuckle. “Oh, just some old tinkerer who used to live on the outskirts of town and invent stuff. He died not too long ago and left a bunch of his blueprints and unbuilt parts to me, but for the life of me I couldn’t figure out what any of them said.” He walked to the counter, pulling out an inkwell and carrying it back to the table with a piece of parchment. He poured some of the ink over the cylinder and rolled it over the paper, leaving behind distinct letters as it rotated. Thistle set down the tube once he was done, wiping any excess ink from his fingers on his dark pants. “I mean, it’s rather useless because by the time that the letters are arranged, a scribe could have finished writing the words. Though I suppose it would be good for mass production of royal decrees and such.”

 

He turned and looked at Cer with a grin. “Looks like I’ve got a different job for you!”

 

Cer blinked, confused, before he realized what the other was insinuating. “Oh, wait, no that was… That was just  _ luck _ , I have no idea what I’m doing, I don’t even know how to read!”

 

Thistle had gotten a rag sometime during Cer’s explanation and was wiping off the cylinder of excess ink. “Gerson’s reading said that whoever was able to fix this-” he gestured to the blueprints- “would be able to reconstruct and improve upon the others!”

 

Cer narrowed his eyes. Thistle chuckled nervously before he explained that Gerson was something of an oracle for the town, a sort of spiritual counselor. Very few believed him without fault, but every one of his reading and bits of advice held true, and more than one person would vouch to attest for the powers of his luck amulets and spells. Cer looked back down at the pipe. “And you just believe him?”

 

He adjusted the glasses again. Cer assumed that it was a nervous habit. “He’s never really given me a reason not to.”

 

Cer looked back down at the sheet of paper, trying to make sense of what he knew must be words. Other than recognizing a letter here and there, the ink looked like unintelligible scribbles. “All I was doing was messing with the pieces. I still can’t read.”

 

Thistle rolled up the parchment, tying it closed again with the piece of twine that was sitting by one of the corners. “That’s fine. I’d be happy to teach you! Besides, I’m sure that Gerson wasn’t kidding.”

 

He agreed far more eagerly than he would have liked to admit, the prospect of being able to learn something too exciting for him to wait. He’d always wanted to be able to read, often taking trips to the palace library when his work was done to look over the countless novels in awe, imagining the information held just within his reach, yet entirely unobtainable. He left the shop not long after, letting his eyes trail along the veins of sand and packed dirt in between the cobblestone as he walked.

 

...Lav had attempted to teach him the basics of reading and writing, once, when he had been caught snooping over the other’s shoulder as he was writing a letter to someone. The princess had just laughed, immediately abandoning his work to show him some of the letters and how they were formed with a smooth stroke of the quill. Unfortunately for both of them, Lav- having a lack of patience- wasn’t the best teacher, and Cer- having never attempted anything of the like- wasn’t the best learner. Any formal attempts at lessons were abandoned, and Lav would instead take whatever book Cer had handed to him (after his work was finished, of course) and read aloud from it, his finger following the words on the page as Cer watched in awe as the unreadable scribblings were brought to life with his voice. God, what he wouldn’t give to hear that voice again.

 

He rubbed the heel of his hand on his sternum harshly as he entered Annatto’s home, grounding himself with the burn, shutting the door behind him and looking out one of the windows. In the field, he could see the taller on top of a horse, trotting through the rows of wheat and grain, occasionally dropping off of the saddle to crouch by the plants before he hopped back up, continuing his rounds. Cer felt a phantom pain in his ribs and leg as he realized that it was the same horse that trampled him.

 

Looks like the other really had trained it all by himself.

 

He was really cool.

 

\---

 

The blueprints really were impressive. It had been a few weeks since Thistle had started teaching him to read and write, and it seemed like they made more sense every day. Oddly enough, the other couldn’t make heads nor tails of them, even though Cer could follow the frantic scribblings of the scientist with relative ease. He wrote in a shorthand, most of the time, but he came to learn what certain symbols and shapes meant after a while.

 

Most of them were, in fact, smaller trinkets of devices, yet still interesting. A few clocks and devices of the like were what made them up, yet there were a handful of larger prints that he couldn’t yet decipher. Some looked like plans for large buildings while there was one or two that seemed to make up some kind of farm equipment. He folded those carefully and set them off to the side, keeping Annatto in mind. Thistle had helped him look over the blueprints at first, after he had finished sorting the books, but soon started his own work with plants. The other had pouted when Cer doubled over laughing at Thistle working with thistles.

 

Gerson still came around, letting out a wheezing laugh whenever Cer would back away from him. He’d never trust that old man and his cane. Not long after visiting one time, Gerson had set down a large bag with a heavy thud. Cer had looked at him suspiciously before the bag was overturned, a bunch of tools falling out. He blinked down at the before giving the old man a curious look. Gerson had just winked at him, saying something about Cer needing them later before he hobbled out of the shop, hitting Thistle on the head as he passed with a solid clunk. He was glad to see that it wasn’t just himself that was being assaulted.

 

When he was walking back to the cottage after he left the library, lugging a heavy bag of tools, he was cursing the tortoise the whole way. No doubt that if he had left the tools in the store, he would have come after him while he was sleeping and beat him down with his cane. As he was walking, he came across a family of bunnies who seemed to be fretting over a carriage. A closer look showed him that it had broken off of its spokes. An easy enough fix if the right tools were had, but he didn’t…

 

He shifted the bag on his back, walking forward with a smile and offering to fix it. They eagerly accepted his offer, and he shifted through the bag, hoping that Gerson had packed the right tools for him. Sure enough, everything that he needed to fix it temporarily was in hand, and he soon repaired the carriage with little fuss. They would have to replace it with a sturdier one later, but it would work for a decent amount of time. The family thanked him greatly and he waved them off, wishing them luck before turning and continuing back to Annatto’s.

 

When he entered the cottage, he was less than shocked to see the taller bursting about with energy, darting in and out of the house, running to the stables and back with various tools and packing them up on top of a buckboard before bringing out two horses and attaching them to the front. Cer had long ago set the bag down, and now watched the other in amusement. “Whatcha doing there, Annatto?”

 

He cinched a strap on one of the horses slightly tighter, the beast giving a huff before settling back down. “I’m taking some of my tools to the blacksmith to be sharpened and strengthened.” He gave a quizzical look over his shoulder. “Harvesting season is soon, and I want to be ready! Things are going to be busy during the Midsummer’s Festival, so I like to get these in as quickly as possible.”

 

Cer blinked, furrowing his brow. “Festival?”

 

Annatto perked up at this, turning and looking at the other in shock. “You mean you’ve never been to a festival?!” He blinked, his hand coming up to his chin to rest against it in thought. “Then again, I suppose that as a traveller you wouldn’t really stay in any one place long enough to know.” His face switched to a more pleading one, looking over at Cer with hope. “You’ll stay for ours, won’t you? I know that you’ve paid me back for everything and you have no real reason to keep staying, but I would really like you to come! I consider you a good friend!” He glanced off to the side, his grin tightening. “Even with your incessant puns.”

 

Cer chuckled at his energy. He couldn’t really say no to this guy. Besides, a party could be fun. “Sure. Why not?”

 

\---

 

Annatto had made him a new set of dressier clothes for the festival, a task that he described as impossible considering that Cer kept falling asleep as he was trying to take measurements. They were impressive garments considering his status as a farmer, but it seemed like everyone had a deep caring and respect for the kind-hearted skeleton, and some had lowered the prices enough because of barters with various crops that he could afford them. Cer looked at the reflection of his upper half in a large basin of water. He would have to stay longer now to repay the other for this, but he wasn’t complaining. He himself had grown rather fond of the other.

 

He walked out of the front door at Annatto’s call, stopping in his tracks when he saw what horse they would be taking in to the center of town. Annatto rolled his eyes fondly, giving the horse a small pat on the hindquarters as Cer walked up. He pulled himself up on the steed with a grunt and then they were heading off, trotting slowly towards the square. As they neared the area, Cer began to hear comfortable yet energetic atmosphere of voices and music. They both hopped off the horse, tying it to a railing by a basin of water before walking into the crowd.

 

Cer smiled as he looked around the area. He’d never left the castle much, so he never really got to see any large parties. Even then, the ones that he went to had the stuffy, regal vibe of royalty as they were held in the castle and such. He heard a laugh off to his side and looked up to see the family of bunnies he had helped earlier. The oldest- the mother, probably- waved him over, and he walked up, giving her a smile. She pat on a large keg next to her, gesturing to a wide array of mugs hanging off of pegs on the side of it. “Would you care for some charity ale? All profits go to a good cause!”

 

Cer shrugged, taking a handful of G out of his pocket and handing them to one of the younger kids, taking a mug of ale with a wave. The bunny mom smiled as she waved back and he started to walk away before she called out. “Thank you once again for helping us a while back!”

 

He waved with another smile. “No problem.” He turned back and disappeared in the crowd, searching for Annatto. It wasn’t hard to find the other as he had attracted a crowd, standing with one leg propped up on a chair and telling a tale of grand adventure. The younger children in the front seemed to love it, jumping up and down and laughing, mock sword fighting with sticks when the characters were doing something especially heroic.

 

He was watching the scene with a small smile on his face when he was startled by a loud laugh from someone behind him. He jumped, turning around and seeing Gerson, who gave him a little wink. He huffed, turning back to the scene in front of him. He still didn’t understand how the old man was able to sneak up on him like that. “Well, if it ain’t Cer! I coulda sworn you’d be off and outta town by now. Annatto had told me that ya done paid off any debt that ya owed him.”

 

Cer swirled the dark brown liquid in the cup, watching as the foam stuck to the sides of the glass before he lifted it to his mouth and took a swig. “I thought I would stay for the party.”

 

Gerson chuckled, turning back to look at Annatto. He had rolled his sleeves up past his elbows and taken a stick himself, and was now fending off four children as they laughed. Three, actually, as one of the dragon-like monsters had no arms and was running around laughing, tripping over their feet every now and again before they would get back up and continue to patrol the scene.

 

“I was talking to some of tha folks round town. They mentioned you by name.” he gave a throaty chortle, stabbing the cane into the ground with a dull clack. “Said that ya helped them out of some rough times! Fixin some of their things without any charge! The Bunn family, the Woolf family, the Fyre family-” Another deep laugh. “Hell, it’s such a small town that I betcha anything that almost all the folks here owe ya some kinda debt or another in some roundabout way!”

 

Cer took another drink, watching Annatto flail dramatically as he was “vanquished”, the kids laughing and jumping on his from when he was prone on the ground. “I don’t see what that has to do with anything. I had the tools to help, and so I did.”

 

Gerson hummed, looking on the scene with a grin. “Heh. Well, ya sure didn’t have ta walk away without any kinda repayment from anyone.” He looked at Cer from the corner of his eyes. “But ya did.”

 

He turned to look at Gerson, seeing a calculating look in his eyes. “What?”

 

“Eh, nothing. It might be just this old coot’s imagination, but I would fancy to say that most of the folks round here rather enjoy yer company.” He drummed his fingers on the top of his cane. “I’m just trying to let ya know that, if ya decided ta stay a bit longer, ya’d be welcome here fer as long as you do.”

 

Cer looked up at the excited shouts, seeing a few people rolling large barrels towards a hill. The crowd shifted to follow, the dimming light of the sun being replaced by torches and colorful lanterns that were carried with. One they got to the hill, a fuse was placed inside of each barrel and they were lit, being allowed to burn for a while before they were kicked down the hill, rolling at great speeds with trails of orange fire following after until they reached the bottom, launching up off of a slope and crashing onto rocks below. A few ran down with buckets to ensure the fire was fully put out while the rest cheered, walking back to the center of town to continue to indulge in food and festivities for the whole night.

 

Cer walked beside Gerson in thought, nodding at people with smiles as they came up to thank him for his kindness. It… It couldn’t hurt to stay here a while longer, could it? After all, he would want to make sure he had funds for himself when he left, so staying and making money to save wasn’t the worst idea. Plus, if he saved up enough, he could buy a horse for himself, which would certainly make his travels easier. He looked over at Gerson, who was looking at him with that same amused, calculating stare. “I might stay a while longer.”

 

The tortoise chuckled, giving him a gentle tap on the skull before hobbling off into the crowd. Cer rubbed his head. He really was a strange old man.

 

\---

 

He was walking away from Thistle’s conjoined library and workshop when he saw it. He’d been learning to read, of course, so he was able to easily see what the sign said. Even if he hadn’t, though, he would have enough sense to know what the scribbles above the sketch of his face said.

 

“RUNAWAY SERVANT”

 

He winced, turning from it quickly and running back to Annatto’s cottage. He opened the bedroom he had been staying in and grabbed his bag, quickly shoving in clothes and grabbing his savings, throwing on a hat before going to dart out of the house. Instead, he bumped into the broad chest of Annatto, falling on the floor with a grunt. He looked up and immediately tensed in fear. Annatto was holding one of the papers in his hand, the parchment slightly crumpled from his grip.

 

He went to stutter out an explanation before the other’s hand lifted up in a placating gesture. He walked past Cer to the fireplace, crumpling the paper and cramming it under the logs of wood before he grabbed the flint and iron, setting it on fire. He stood up after he put down the starter, brushing off his pants and walking to Cer, sticking out a hand to help him off the floor with a smile.

 

Cer cautiously took it, allowing the taller to pull him up into a stand. “Why would you-?”

 

Annatto looked away, scratching the back of his head. “Well, you see, I consider you a good friend of mine. You’ve been nothing but helpful to myself and the rest of the town once you were able. And…” He trailed off, shuffling awkwardly in place a bit before he took a deep breath and continued. “And I’m certain that if you ran away like you did, then there was certainly a good reason for you to do so, whatever it was. I’m not going to make you go back.” 

 

Cer let out a breath that he didn’t know he was holding, giving Annatto a shaky smile. “Thank you. But… What about anyone else? I’m sure that someone else must have seen it, so what if they give me away?”

 

Annatto smiled, shaking his head. “I saw this earlier this morning when I had to go in to get a new strap for a bridle. As soon as I saw one of the many hanging up, I grabbed it and went to Gerson.” His smile became a little tighter, more nervous, as he looked off to the side again. “And Gerson may have called a town meeting while you were with Thistle still so that everyone could decide whether or not to give you away?” Cer blinked, his earlier calm replaced by worry. Annatto seemed to notice this and quickly tried to make amends. “But! You’ve helped out all of us so much that everyone agreed that whatever reason you left in the first place was good enough for us!” He finished with a nod. “We take care of each other.”

 

Cer adjusted the bag slung over his shoulders. “Isn’t that… Kind of treason?” 

 

Annatto seemed offended at this development, throwing an exaggerated hand over his chest. “Treason! For what, dear  _ brother _ ?” He said this with an obvious wink. “You’ve lived here your whole life! Everyone in town has known you for-” He blinked, leaning down to whisper. “How old are you?”

 

Cer chuckled at his antics. “I’m twenty-four years o-”

 

“Everyone here has known you for twenty-four years! Which is quite the while, and not at all what the posters said about how long you had been gone.” He gave Cer a large grin, and he couldn’t help but lean up and pull the other down into a hug. Annatto laughed before he returned it, picking him up. He really was the coolest.

 

“So we’re brothers now?”

 

“Indeed!”

 

“Does that mean I can call you my verte- _ bruh _ ?”

 

Annatto dropped him before walking out of the house, not looking back. Cer laughed, looking down at the bag before walking back into the room, setting it on the ground. He’d leave it packed, just in case. In his hurry, though, he had almost forgotten something important.

 

He slid out the drawer on one of the only pieces of furniture in the room, reaching back into the back of the drawer and pulling out a long, purple silk ribbon. It was the one that Lav had often worn over all his dresses.

 

With a heavy sigh he took it and placed it in the side pocket on the bag. He wouldn’t want to leave it if he had to run again.

 

\---

 

A few months had passed, and no hordes of king’s men came to collect him in chains to bring him back to the castle. Eventually, he had stopped living in paranoia, realizing that the small town- a small sort of kingdom all on its own- meant him no harm. Besides, he was just one servant. It was unlikely that any more than two or three low-level knights or pages in training would come to collect him. Things were relaxed and normal.

 

He’d fallen into a routine, helping out the people of the town with fixing various things. He had built most all of the trinkets from the blueprints and had started working on the larger projects. One of which happened to be a standing mill. The designs had to be reworked and gone over before anything was started, but if it was built then it would make grinding grain a lot easier, the trek just being up to the top of a hill as opposed to miles away to the current mill on the water. 

 

He had almost forgotten about his scare of being discovered at all, simply relaxing into this new and fulfilling life, until one night when he was at the tavern. He had started coming there often, engaging in drunken camaraderie with the locals, when he noticed a new face. Though he himself wasn’t the best with names, he liked to think that he wouldn’t forget a face. But he was certain that he had never seen this blue water sprite before. He definitely would have remembered her intense yellow gaze, even more so since he felt it weighing down on him until he decided to leave, throwing a few coins on the counter and leaving with a wave. 

 

He turned his head to meet her stare head on. She blinked at him returning the glare before giving a half-smirk, letting out an amused huff of breath before she looked down at a leather-bound notebook on the table, scratching something in it with a pencil. He shook his head and tore his gaze away from her, walking out the door. 

 

He couldn’t help but wonder who she was.

 

\---

 

Lavender was dying. 

 

Cer had heard the news from the same girls selling trinkets on the side of the road. Their way of telling stories was confusing and often would fold in on itself, them stating things that have already been said, but he had come to find out that their gossip always turned out to be true.

 

Lavender was… dying.

 

Fate was cruel in the way that it played these games. God, he still loved him, he loved him more than anyone could ever know, and he had been content, been happy with knowing that the other was safe, that the other was healthy and was going to be fine and was going to live a life in luxury and would maybe one day be happy about his life as Queen.

 

God and he’d… He’d been so fucking foolish and selfish to just try to move on and be happy and now the other was dying and he’d never get to see him again and…

 

He was in denial. He was grieving. He was angry.

 

Lavender, Lav, was  _ dying _ off in a castle somewhere where Cer could never reach him, tucked away like some doll and was wheezing out some of his last breaths and…

 

He looked up as he saw the house come into view. He couldn’t figure out why everything looked so blurry until he realized.

 

He was crying.

 

It almost made him laugh. Here he was, healthy and fine, living some of the best moments of his entire life and essentially moving on when he had promised- and he had never broken a single one of his promises- that he would love the other forever and would stay with him come hell or high-water and he just…

 

He choked out a sob, digging the heels of his palms into his teary sockets and rubbing away the tears, pushing open the door and walking into his room. He sat on the bed and openly wept, the burning pricks in his eyes and the sensation in his chest of his soul tearing apart being his only comforts. He fell asleep with the silk ribbon tangled in his fingers, soaked with tears.

 

\---

 

He woke up the next morning with burning eyes and a throbbing headache, looking up to see Annatto shaking him gently with a concerned look on his face. He was confused for a moment before he looked down to see the crumpled ribbon in his hands, and it all came rushing back to him. He sat up shakily, pocketing the ribbon and pushing himself off the bed. Annatto stood beside him for a tense few moments before he spoke in a quiet voice, saying that he would go and start breakfast.

 

Cer followed him out, though he was exhausted and didn’t feel like moving, and grabbed a mug, walking to the basin of water and scooping some out. He took a small sip at first before he realized how hungry he was, chugging the rest of the contents greedily before he filled it up again. He shuffled to the table and sat down with a sigh, his grip on the mug tightening minutely.

 

He’d have to leave soon.

 

Part of him wanted to stay, to just continue the schedule that he had set up for himself and not have to deal with continuing to move and travel but… He couldn’t stay. He couldn’t stay and wait until it spread throughout the kingdom that Lavender had died. He gave a quiet thanks when Annatto set down a bowl of porridge in front of him with a slice of bread. He ate slowly before he swallowed thickly. He wasn’t hungry.

 

There was a knocking at the door, both of their heads shooting up at the sound. Annatto went to get up and answer it, but before he could Gerson opened it, the door creaking a bit as he shut it softly. He seemed relieved that Cer was still there, giving a small grin to the taller skeleton before walking to the table. Annatto got up and pulled out a chair for him, pushing him in and sitting down once the other was situated.

 

Gerson looked over Cer calmly, like he was looking for something before he gave a soft sigh out of his nose. “Yer planning on leaving, ain’t ya?”

 

Cer forced himself to take another bite of bread. “I was considering it. I should be going soon.” Annatto opened his mouth to say something before he shut it with a pained look on his face, getting up and making another bowl for the tortoise. The old man gave thanks when it was set down in front of him, taking a bite before continuing to look at Cer intently. He deliberately ignored the older’s gaze, staring at the ridges in the wood of the table.

 

Gerson sighed as he took another bite before he leaned back in his chair, looking up at the roof of the house. “Ya know, when I was a kid, I was told a story of the snail. Marvelous little creatures, they are. I’ve always considered them close to kin since we share a rather prominent feature.” He reached back and knocked on his shell lightly, but in the quiet of the home it resounded like a drum. “My grandpappy used ta tell me that the trails of slime they left behind were their life force, their bodies draining and depleting into nothingness the longer that they traveled.”

 

Cer looked up at the tortoise. “What are you getting at?”

 

Gerson took another calm bite of his food, swallowing before he answered. “...Lad, I don’t know what yer running from, but if ya keep trying to escape what’s happening then…” He trailed off with a sigh, looking back at Cer before he continued. “There won’t be any of ya left to run away.”

 

Cer said nothing, staring at the bowl. Gerson finished his porridge before getting up with a grunt, giving Annatto a pat on the shoulder with another thanks before turning to look back at Cer. “At least give it some thought, yeah? Something tells me that yer gonna want to stay just a little while longer.” With that he hobbled away to the door, exiting slowly as the door closed shut behind him.

 

Annatto was picking at the tips of his fingers, looking Cer over nervously. “If you really want to leave… I won’t stop you. You’re welcome to stay as long as you wish.” He stood up from the table, setting the bowl by the basin to wash later before he walked out of the door, not looking back. Cer continued to stare at the table, reaching one of his hands back inside his pockets to stroke lightly over the smooth cloth in there. His hands came up to press at his burning eyes as fresh tears threatened to spill over.

 

He… He did need to move on, didn’t he? He couldn’t just keep running and running forever. He had a life here, he was safe here, and… Lav would want him to be happy. Something deep within his soul seemed to call to him to stay.

 

And so he did.

 

\---

 

He avoided town for a while, wanting to stay far away from any gossip or word on anything to do with the other. He was in denial, yes, but it was far, far easier than dealing with the truth. Annatto seemed worried that he’d been staying in the house for a while, but he just waved off the other’s concerns, using the excuse of working on reading the blueprints. The other didn’t press him too hard for answers, and he was extraordinarily grateful for that. He slowly began to feel normal. Not great, but normal. So it almost made sense that fate would be so cruel as to uproot him as soon as he had any semblance of comfort.

 

They had heard many successive knocks on their door, the frantic pounding only emphasized by the heavy breathing of the person. Annatto opened the door to show one of the bunnies, bent over and panting for breath. She must have run all the way in from town. She gasped in a few breaths and Annatto left to grab her a drink of water. When her eyes met Cer’s she straightened up, a look of slight panic in her eyes.

 

“You need to leave!” She managed to gasp out, taking the water from Annatto and drinking greedily.

 

Cer furrowed his brow bone. “What do you mean?”

 

She coughed, catching her breath and handing the empty mug back to Annatto. “Someone came in town today. A stranger. He was on what looked to be a royal stallion with how well it was taken care of and was holding a poster. A flyer with your face on it. One of the ads!” Cer felt a chill run down his spine, and he looked at Annatto with fear. “He was getting frustrated that no one was answering him and so now he’s going door to door around town, looking for you.” Her ears flattened to her head. “It’s only a matter of time before he gets here and you need to leave,  _ now _ .”

 

Annatto ushered her inside before he shut the door, sliding the lock into place as he ran around to the back door. He pushed it open, running to his small stables and bringing out one of the horses, beginning to saddle it. Cer followed after him, confused, before the other saw him standing there and gestured frantically. “Go! Grab your things! If it really is a bounty collector or one of the King’s men then you need to get out of here as soon as possible!”

 

Cer blinked a few times before he nodded, dashing back into the house and packing his things. Not much, but he made sure that he had a cloak and small dagger as well as grabbing his saved funds. Before he left what served as home for a few months he reached into his pocket, checking to make sure that he still had the ribbon with him before he left. He ran up to Annatto, the other essentially throwing him on the horse when he got near. The beast startled a bit, but soon settled back down with his firm grip on the reins. Cer looked down at the steed before he nodded at Annatto. “I’ll come back and repay you one day! I promise!”

 

Annatto huffed. “There’s no time for this, Cerulean! Just-”

 

They both heard a shout and looked up to see a cloaked figure riding on a jet black stallion. Annatto cursed as the figure started trotting towards them, giving the horse a firm swat on the rear to startle it into a gallop. Cer held on for dear life, chancing a glance back to see that the figure had set their own horse into a gallop after him. He faced forward and hunched down into the saddle, willing the beast to go faster.

 

The hoofbeats behind him slowly got louder and louder, and with a heavy feeling in his soul he realized that a horse like this- one accustomed to gentler riding and not at all trained for the brutal chase of a king’s horse- had no chance of outrunning the other. He was only making it worse by trying to flee.

 

And so, just before he reached the treeline, he slowed his steed to a stop, hearing the heavy breathing of the stallion behind him. He slid off of the horse’s back, grabbing the reins by the bit in its mouth and turning to face his pursuer. He heard a deep voice come from under the dark cloak, but kept his face turned to the ground. “Cerulean Serif.”

 

He just nodded, not counting on his voice to answer without shaking. Briefly he wondered what kind of punishment he would receive for his running away. He had heard of servant being hanged for running before, but he was sure that King Gaster would be more merciful than that. Maybe, if he was lucky, he would only be faced with public lashing.

 

The voice continued. “You are hereby charged with grand theft.”

 

He blinked, confused, chancing a glance up at the figure as he slid off his horse. “...Theft?” 

 

The figure chuckled, pulling back his hood. Cer felt his breath catch in his throat, staring in disbelief. “For stealing my heart.”

 

Standing in front of him, looking all the world of healthy and happy and  _ alive _ was Lav. It was Lav. He was alive! He was alive and he was here and he was looking at Cer with that lopsided grin that he always had, the one that was fraught with mischief and laughter, the grin that he had fallen head over heels in love with was right in front of him. In front of  _ him _ . He wanted to jump, dance, sing, he wanted to rush up and grab the other and never let him go, swinging him around this way and that and carry him everywhere so that he would never have to walk again, but he was frozen in shock, stuck just staring.

 

Lav shuffled anxiously in front of him, chuckling slightly as he looked off to the ground. “So, I guess you’re probably wondering why-”

 

Cer didn’t let him finish, rushing up and grabbing both sides of his face, planting small kisses all over his face as he sobbed “You’re alive, you’re alive, you’re  _ alive _ ” over and over again. Lav laughed- god, how much had he missed hearing that sweet, clear sound- as his own hand came up to grip Cer’s face, giving kisses of his own. God, they were both ugly crying and laughing, gripping each other tightly as if they would be ripped apart if they ever let go.

 

He pulled back long enough to look into the other’s eyes, seeing the tears streaming down his face to match his own. “I love you. I love you so much.”

 

Lav laughed- that beautiful ring, he wanted to hear  _ more _ \- and kissed him again as he sobbed. “God, I love you too.”

 

They stayed like that for a while, gripping each other tightly and crying tears of joy, feeling the crisp breeze as it blowed between them. There was talking to do, yes, and plans to be worked out and formed. But for now? For now they would just sit in the gently flowing grass, holding one another as the clouds drifted lazily by. They had their whole lives to spend together now.

  
And they would never let fate tear them apart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> holy. fucking. shit. this took SO LONG to do, but i'd be lying if i said it wasn't totally worth it. i might to a sort of epilogue thing, but for now we're leaving it open.
> 
> ONCE AGAIN!! so much thanks to crushingonsans who let me write this little spinoff piece of their fic A Night Off and a Dress (go check them out, once again, because they are such an amazing and incredible writer and everything they weave is absolute _gold_.) this was one of the most rewarding things for me to write because i love to give dumb nerds happy endings. thank all of you for reading this monstrosity of a fic! (google docs says its close to 20,000 words in all for two chapters, so whoa and holy shit)

**Author's Note:**

> i wasnt kidding when i said that i did a shit ton of research. ive learned more by looking up stuff for this fic than i have in all of my history classes combined.
> 
> for instance, did u kno that in the middle ages, one of the most popular and commonly used contraceptives was anal sex?? do with that information whatever you wish, my friends


End file.
